Who Is Mike Pence? 7 Things to Know About Donald Trump's Vice President

Here are seven things you should know about Donald Trump's running mate:

He has a wife and three kids

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Pence met his wife, Karen, a former teacher, at church, according to the Indianapolis Star. They were married in 1985 and now have three kids: Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey. Michael, the oldest, is an officer in the Marine Corps. Charlotte is an aspiring filmmaker. And Audrey, the youngest, holds socially liberal views opposed to many of her father's.

He is deeply religious

An evangelical Christian who was raised Roman Catholic, Pence is widely revered among conservative Christians for his religious vews. Last year, he introduced a religious freedom law in Indiana, which gave business owners a stronger legal defense if they refused to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender customers because of their faith. While many supported the law, it drew widespread criticism, ridicule from late-night hosts, and boycotts. Ultimately, Pence added an amendment explicitly protecting sexual orientation and gender identity.

He signed a controversial anti-abortion law

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

In March 2016, Pence signed a law that prohibits women from getting abortions because of the "race, gender, or disability of the fetus," making Indiana only the second state to enact such a measure. Opponents say the law could force women to endure possibly dangerous high-risk pregnancies. It also serves to limit access to abortion because the law holds doctors legally liable for wrongful death if they performed an abortion based on one of these reasons.

This received major backlash from the public, and women even started a #PeriodsForPence campaign on social media, where they offered Pence messages about their experience with women's health since he so passionately took on the issue. A federal judge blocked the law in July, saying the state doesn't have the right to determine why a woman ends her pregnancy.

Before he was the governor of Indiana, Pence voted for strict anti-abortion measures while in the House and sponsored an amendment to prohibit any federal funding from going to Planned Parenthood.

He's a former radio DJ

In the '90s, Pence hosted a popular conservative talk radio show called The Mike Pence Show and became known as "Rush Limbaugh on decaf" for his calm demeanor.

He has a lot of experience on Capitol Hill

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Pence represented his home state of Indiana in the House of Representatives for six terms, from 2001 until he was elected governor of Indiana in 2012. He was unanimously elected to serve as the chairman of the Republican Study Committee and the House Republican Conference.

During that time on Capitol Hill, he made some heavyweight allies. Paul Ryan, who has been critical of Trump despite his endorsement of the candidate, considered Pence a "personal friend," according to The Washington Post. And The Hill reports that lawmakers in Washington would welcome Pence back to the area. "I'd be dancing in the aisles," Rep. John Carter (Republican-Texas) told The Hill, adding that he attended bible study with Pence when he lived in Washington.

Pence is also well-connected in a national fundraising network, including ties to the groups run by Charles and David Koch, the major Republican donors. A spokesperson for the Freedom Partners, the funding arm of the Koch brother's network, said, however, that they would remain focused on the Senate, even if Pence were the pick. (The Koch brothers have been critical of Trump, and Charles Koch said recently that deciding between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is like choosing to vote "for cancer or heart attack.")

He hasn't always been on Team Trump

Although now Pence appears to be Trump's biggest cheerleader, this wasn't always the case. Pence endorsed Trump's rival, Ted Cruz, for the Republican nomination ahead of his state's primary on April 29. He also has objected to Trump's call for a ban on Muslim immigrants.

Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional.

He is laidback and low-key

The New York Times reports that Pence is a unlikely to embarrass Trump as a running mate because he is a low-key person with a laid-back personality. This is a departure from the other major VP contenders, Christie and Gingrich, who are showmen in their own right, which makes Pence perfectly primed for a supporting role.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Town & Country participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.